CAF Utah Wing Museum facts for kids
Commemorative Air Force Utah Wing Museum
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| Location | P.O. Box 507 2365 Airport Road Russ McDonald Field Heber City, Utah 84032 |
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| Type | Aviation museum |
The CAF Utah Wing Museum is a special place that helps us remember American military aviation. It's part of a bigger group called the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). This group is a non-profit organization. Their goal is to honor military planes and the people who flew them. They do this through flying old planes, showing exhibits, and remembering important events.
The museum is located in Heber City, Utah, at Russ McDonald Field. Inside, you'll find cool items and displays from different wars. These include World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The museum also has two real airplanes that can still fly! These are an N2S Stearman and a T-6 Advanced Trainer. These planes are part of the CAF's large collection of over 170 vintage "warbirds." The museum also shares stories of local people who were involved in aviation history. The museum is usually closed from October 31st to May 1st each year. You can visit during this time by making a special appointment.
Contents
Planes That Fly
The Stearman Trainer Plane
The N2S-5 Boeing-Stearman Model 75 plane, named N1387V, was built in 1943. It was made in Wichita, Kansas. The U.S. Navy used it to train pilots in Texas during World War II. After the war, it was sold. It was changed to have a bigger engine and used for crop dusting.
In the early 1980s, it was sold again. It became a plane for fun and sports flying. Sadly, it crashed in the Oquirrh Mountains while flying to California. The Commemorative Air Force bought the plane's parts. It was carefully rebuilt in Idaho. N1387V flew again on August 17, 1988. Since then, it has been part of the Utah Wing. It flies at local airshows and offers rides to people.
In December 2015, the plane's wings were restored. Old fabric was removed, small repairs were made, and new fabric and paint were added. N1387V flew during the 2016 flying season. Starting in 2017, a big project began to restore its engine and body. This work is still happening.
The T-6 Texan Trainer Plane
A Texan trainer plane is on display in the museum's hangar. The Texan was an important training aircraft during World War II. Pilots used it to learn how to fly in formation, use guns, and practice battle tactics.
Hero Stories and Exhibits
The museum also has exhibits about amazing local people. These individuals played important roles in aviation history.
- Russ McDonald: He was the person who started the Heber City, Utah airport.
- Ike Isaacs: He was a pilot of a B-17 bomber plane. He flew with the 34th Bomb Group.
- Jackson Wells: He was also a B-17 bomber pilot. He flew missions over Germany with the 8th Air Force.
- Emmett "Cyclone" Davis: He was a fighter pilot stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attack. Later, he led the 35th Fighter Squadron in the Pacific.
- Burnis Watts: He was a pilot of a Waco CG-4 glider. He took part in important events like the Invasion of Normandy.
- Raymond Brim: He was a B-17 bomber pilot. He was a pioneer in finding paths for planes. He flew missions over France and Germany with the 8th Air Force.
See also
- List of aerospace museums
